Two Escaped Prisoners Arrested After Skipping Bail and begging at Temples

The Gujarat police's Crime Branch reported the successful detention of two fugitives who disappeared after being granted interim bail in August 2023. Identified as Ashok "Maharaj" Patel, 48, and his wife Renu Patel, 51, the pair were apprehended on Thursday near the C.T.M. bridge in the Ramol locality of Ahmedabad. Police say the duo survived by changing their looks and soliciting alms outside temples across the state, thereby eluding surveillance. Their original charges include violations of the POCSO Act, the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Both have now been returned to Ahmedabad Central Jail to finish their sentences.